Quote Originally Posted by GayT View Post
It has been so long for me 57 years since I vomited that the waiting period has gotten easier. But I don't stick around and watch someone get sick. I am out of there in a flight mode. Then I wash my hands a lot. And chew a few pepto bismo a day because I believe they coat my stomach and the virus can't get in. Don't tell me it won't work. It may be a talisman but it helps me. The worst was when my kids were young and got sick. My husband helped by taking charge when possible, but it was anxiety&guilt. Oddly dogs cats other animals don't bother me. Does anyone else feel OK if it is another species?
I used to be afraid of one of my grandmother's the coughed from smoking and vomited from coughing and drinking too much. I had to stay away from her.
I'm out of there too. I really want to get a handle on this fear. I'm going to try seeing another counselor. At this point, if I were to get married and have kids, I'd do the same thing. When someone is sick, I am out of there. I hope to conquer this fear so if I have kids, I can take care of them. I don't know if that will happen, though.

I'm the same way. We have animals, and it doesn't bother me at all if they are sick. My Mom usually cleans it up when they are sick, but I have cleaned it up in the past. I feel safe because it's not contagious I think. However, even if I was around a person getting sick who wasn't contagious, like someone going through chemo or post op, I still would be terrified. Therefore, it's more than the fact that it's not contagious; there is something about it being not human. The only thing that bothers me is the sound when my Jack Russell gets sick; he sounds like a person.